Men’s Health Month: Keeping Up with Your Health

The key to staying healthy is to take small, positive, consistent steps. Taking the initiative to start new practices that will improve your overall health is the easy bit. Making these practices habits requires you to be regular and develop a healthy lifestyle. Do this by using the following men’s health tips:

Create an Exercise Routine

Whether you are 20 or 50, you can turn around your physical fitness with a few weeks of regular exercises. Decide whether you should exercise at home or if you should join a gym. Ensure that you put aside several hours a week and start small. For example, your first week could start with three 30 minutes session of activities, like jogging or weight lifting, and then increase the amount of sessions and time as necessary.

Tips

• Don’t push too hard-You will be tempted to push your body beyond limits when you are starting out at the gym, especially when you are noticing results. Instead, stick to a guided, gradual gym program.
• Stay active-In addition to exercising, keep your body active by walking regularly or by joining a sports team. You burn more calories when walking or playing than by sitting.

Eat Healthy Meals

You probably already know all the foods you should quit, but why haven’t you quit them already? The food you eat affects a wide range of aspects in your life; physical fitness, stress levels and sex drive for example. Visit your nutritionist for guidance and stick to well-balanced meals that can provide all the nutrients needed to keep you fit and healthy.

Tips

• Avoid alcohol and smoking-If you commit yourself to healthy meals, make the extra sacrifice of quitting alcohol and smoking. Reducing alcohol intake levels can improve mental health and decrease alcohol-related health risks.
• Drink more water and eat fruits and veggies– Your body needs to stay hydrated. While water is the most obvious way to hydrate, fruits and vegetable, like watermelons and cucumbers, are a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Find Support in Your Friends and Family

Find motivation from friends who can become part of your exercising team. Rely on a cheering squad; people who will honestly give you feedback about your progress and remind you to watch what you eat whenever you go out.

Tips

• Forgiveness– Forgive yourself if you “backslide” once in a while when you eat meals you had decided to quit.
• We Got This- Motivate your friends to join your exercising team if you want a bigger cheering squad.

Visit your Doctor Often

The best time to visit your doctor is today. Book an appointment to get a checkup while you still remember. Explain any issues you have to the doctor; and you will get advice that could shape the future of your ‘stay healthy’ goal in the future.

Finally, enjoy yourself. Don’t be too conscious about men’s health that it affects your other aspects of life. Embrace one health tip at a time, and you will develop a healthy life style in no time.